f1fandomcom-20200222-history
Marc Gené
| birthplace = Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain | death date = | placeofdeath = | nationality = | status = Retired | firstrace = 1999 Australian Grand Prix | firstwin = | lastrace = 2004 British Grand Prix | lastwin = }} Marc Gené i Guerrero (born March 29, 1974 in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain) is a former Formula One Driver who drove for and from 1999 to 2004. Gene has also tested for . Gené's older brother Jordi Gene is also a racing driver who is currently competing in touring cars. As of 2018, Marc Gené is an auto racing commentator for Sky Sports Italia. Early career Gené started karting at age 13 in 1987. In his first year of karts, he came runner-up in the 1987 Catalan Kart Championship and then would go on to win the Spanish Karting Championship in 1988 and in 1989, he competed in both the European and World Karting Championships. In 1990, at age 16, he won the Senior Spanish Karting Championship, making him the youngest to ever do so, and then won it again in 1991. Gene moved to Spanish Formula Ford in 1992 at age 18 where he finished fifth in the championship with one win and two pole positions. In 1993, Gene moved to the European Formula Ford league, coming runner-up in the championship. In 1994, he moved to the Formula 3 British Championship and was named Rookie of the Year, finishing 10th and then 10th again in 1995. In 1996, he moved to the FISA Superformula Championship where he won in his debut year. 1997 he moved to Formula 3000, where he participated in 5 rounds, but however failed to score a point, the following year was more successful in 1998 he won the Open Fortuna by Nissan Championship, which caught the eye of the Minardi Formula One team. Formula One 1999-2000: Minardi ;1999 Impressed with his performances, the Minardi F1 Team signed a two year deal for him at the team alongside Luca Badoer. However, the Minardi failed to show any strong results and was often unreliable, but he did manage to score one point by finishing 6th at the European Grand Prix. It would be the team's only points-scoring finish of the season. ;2000 Staying on at Minardi for the 2000 season, he was now partnered by new teammate Gastón Mazzacane, however once again the Minardi failed to show any strong results and like 1999 was fairly unreliable and uncompetitive. 2001-2004: Williams ;2001-2002 After 2000, Gené's contract with Minardi was not renewed and he could no longer find a decent drive due to sponsorship problems, however he signed for the Williams team for 2001 as one of their test drivers, he completed many miles while testing for Williams between 2001 and 2002. ;2003 Gené continued his testing role at Williams, but in 2003 when team driver Ralf Schumacher was injured due to a concussion, Gené replaced him at the Italian Grand Prix where he finished fifth in the race in a successful return to Formula One racing. However, Schumacher was back for the next round in the United States Grand Prix. ;2004 Gené would replace Ralf Schumacher again in 2004 when he suffered neck and back injuries at the United States Grand Prix. Gené was supposed to replace him for the remainder of the season until he returned, but after disappointing results at the French and British Grand Prix, finishing 10th and 12th respectively, the team dropped him in favour of the other test driver Antônio Pizzonia. He has never raced since the replacement. At the end of the year in November, Gené signed a two year deal for Ferrari as a test driver, starting in 2005. 2005-2010: Ferrari ;2005-2008 Moving to Ferrari as one of the teams test and reserve drivers, Gené partnered old Minardi teammate Luca Badoer in the testing role. The pair covered many miles over the next couple of years in developing the Ferrari cars. ;2009-2010 With an in season testing ban for 2009, Gene was unable to get much testing out of the car. However, when team driver Felipe Massa was critically injured at the Hungarian Grand Prix, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher was set to replace him. However, when he was ruled out due to a neck injury, Gené was expected to take his place. However, it was fellow tester, Badoer, that got the drive. However when he failed to perform, Gené was set to replace him, but then the seat was taken from him again, when the team announced Giancarlo Fisichella would replace him instead. After the 2010 season, Gené, along with Badoer and Fisichella, were replaced as test drivers at Ferrari by Jules Bianchi. Other Series During his career and since leaving Formula 1, Gené has competed for Audi and Peugeot in 6 Le Mans 24 Hour events, including overall victory in the 2008 event. He is currently commentating in Formula One races for Spanish television channel Antena 3. Formula One Statistical Overview Formula One Record Career Results |9th|9th| | |8th| |15th|11th|9th|17th|16th| | |9th| |1|18th}} | |14th|14th| | |16th|15th|8th| |15th|14th|9th|12th| | |0|19th}} |- |colspan=21|''2001-2002: Did not compete'' |||4|17th}} Notes Category:Spanish Drivers Category:1974 births Category:1999 Début Drivers Category:Minardi Drivers Category:Williams Drivers Category:Ferrari Drivers Category:Living people